Training Fido

17/01/2025

And here's why you need a 100% response to recall!!
Funny clip though 😄😆🐾

17/01/2025

A Interesting read from my mentor. Which some of you will remember me saying from your training days with Training Fido. 🐾
Motivators in Dog Training
By Sandra Lawton
Why Your Dog’s Behavior Depends on It
It’s such a simple concept, yet it’s where so many dog owners go wrong.
Understanding Motivation: A Basic Life Principle
Let’s start with a simple truth: Whatever any of us do in life, we need reward. You go to work for your salary. You volunteer for the feelgood factor. Your dog is no different – they need a reason to perform the behaviours you want.
The Two Golden Rules of Motivation
Stop Giving Freebies
Match the Value of the Reward to the Action
Let’s break these down…
Stop Giving Freebies
Think about this scenario: Your dog gets all their food in a bowl, free access to their favourite toys, and treats just for looking cute. Then you take them to the park and offer the same treat or reward come back when called. Why would they leave an exciting game with other dogs for something they get for free at home?
Here’s what happens when you stop the freebies:
Use their daily food allowance for training instead of bowl-feeding
Control access to toys, especially for toy-motivated dogs
Save high-value treats for challenging environments
Make rewards something to work for, not an entitlement
MATCHING REWARD TO ACTION:
Just like you’d expect a bigger pay cheque for a more demanding job, your dog needs rewards that match the challenge. A simple ‘sit’ in your living room might be worth a piece of kibble, but coming back when called in a busy park? That deserves premium currency – perhaps that cheese or sausage you’ve been saving for special occasions, or their most favourite toy for a toy motivated dog.
UNDERSTANDING YOUR DOGS CURRENCY
Different dogs are motivated by different things:
Food (especially effective with puppies)
Retrieving (often seen in working breeds)
Tuggy toys
Interactive play with their owner
Specific activities like scent work.
The key is identifying what truly drives your dog and using it strategically. Remember, if your dog seems “not food motivated,” it’s often because they’re getting too many freebies at home or food is just put in a bowl. Unless there are dietary issues, food is a survival necessity and can be a powerful motivator when properly managed.
THE ENVIRONMENT FACTOR:
One of the most common surprises for puppy owners in classes, can be discovering how differently their dogs or pups respond to rewards in different environments. Those puppy treats that work perfectly at home suddenly become meaningless in a training class or at the park. This is why understanding the hierarchy of rewards is crucial – what works in your living room might not cut it in the woods or around other dogs.
BUILDING LASTING HABITS:
The goal isn’t to bribe your dog, but to reward your dog for good behaviour. Just like you get paid for your work. In the early days, you are using this to build a habit in your dog’s head. As behaviours become habitual, you can reduce the frequency of rewards – but here’s the crucial part: rewards should be random, not predictable. If you reward every third time, your clever dog will figure that out and only respond every third time!
THE LONG TERM VIEW:
Remember, motivation isn’t just for puppies or training periods – it’s a lifelong tool. While the frequency of rewards may decrease as habits become ingrained, maintaining some level of reinforcement throughout your dog’s life ensures reliable behaviour.
CONCLUSION:
Understanding and properly using motivators is the foundation of successful dog training. By stopping freebies and matching rewards to challenges, you’ll see a remarkable difference in your dog’s responsiveness and behaviour. It’s not about having an endless supply of treats – it’s about being smarter with how you use them.

🐶🐾🦮❤️🐕🐾🐕‍🦺❤️

11/01/2025

Always a sad and happy time when a 6 week Puppy training course comes to an end.
These 2 have both finished their courses this week. And it has been great to see both owners & pupster grow in confidence and obedience (mainly the pupsters on the last one 😀) . Well done to you both and keep up the good work, you've come along way.😁👏🐾

23/12/2024

Merry Christmas to you all from Smudge & his hooman. Thank you for following Training Fido.
Hope you all have a great Christmas 🥂🎅🐾
Would be great to hear how you are getting along with your training or what you have been up to with your four legged friends.
🐾 🎅🎁🎄

21/12/2024

Hello I have just been contacted by a customer, who is sadly needing to rehome his Black Labrador. I have been training with the dog for the last 3 months, so he is obedient 😊
He is 5 years old and has been castrated, he is a lovely boy and likes to play and be part of the family.
They feel that they can't give him the time now as they have a baby.
So if anyone knows of someone who would be interested, please message me 🐾😪
Thank you

17/12/2024

I have recently had some new customers start training with their young dogs, who have already had their dog spayed/castrated. The youngest being a bitch being spayed at 8 months old, so she hadn't even had here first season. I bring this to every ones attention so you can tell friends and family who have a young puppy. Please let them get to be 18 to 24 months old before you consider spaying or castrating so they can mature mentally and physically. 🐶🐕🐾❤️

11/11/2024

Please just don't
Every year the rawhides come out and people who don't understand, buy them for their beloved dogs.
Just don't.

We strive to provide the best for our furry friends, but sometimes what seems like a harmless treat can hide potential dangers. There have been documented cases of dogs with pieces of rawhide lodged in their windpipe, stomach, or intestines, creating choking hazards and an intestinal blockage, gastrointestinal distress, such as vomiting or diarrhea, can occur if rawhide irritates the digestive tract . Since rawhide is a byproduct of leather, some items pose a significant challenge to a dog’s digestive system when it comes to breaking down.

During the manufacturing process, rawhide is often soaked in a cocktail of chemicals to preserve it and enhance its flavor. These chemicals can include formaldehyde or chromium salts, hydrogen peroxide and bleach, which may pose risks to adult dogs and young puppies alike.

Safer alternatives like completely digestible Himalayan yak chews, dehydrated sweet potato chews, or any of the all meat jerky treats would be much better than rawhide.

02/11/2024

As the firework session is here and not a favourite time for a four legged friends. It's a good idea to try and keep them as calm and relaxed as possible.
So turn the radio on and listen to:

22/10/2024

Thank you to everyone of you who voted for Smudge.
I was informed by email this morning but had to keep quiet until they released it at 7pm today. So it has been hard not to say anything!! 🤐
I am so proud of this boy!!! ❤️🎊🎉

11/10/2024

Well we just managed to complete week 6 before it went dark.
Well done to Claire and Malc for completing the 6 week puppy course with Snoopy. This is their first dog and as new dog owners wanted to get things right, so were a tad nervous on week one.
It has been great to see them grow in confidence and relax and enjoy training!
I have put 2 photos one I have enhanced so you can actually see them! This was the last evening training, Saturday mornings now.

10/10/2024

Hello
I have recently entered Smudge into a competion with Benyfit raw dog food under the category of 'Gundog'. I have just been notified that he has been shortlisted as 1 of 4 finalists.
So I am asking all you lovely people who follow Training Fido if you would be so kind to vote for him. On the link below:
https://benyfitnatural.co.uk/pages/dog-of-the-year-awards?_kx=0cQ2hwRpqdS-QE--dSG6xsgY21DfspLUMcVkBLBM6aI.PmJ9iJ
Thank you 😊

Benyfit Natural raw dog food is 100% natural uses human-grade meat and nutritious vegetables, made in small batches in East Sussex. Voted Best Raw Dog Food 2021.

08/10/2024

🐾Don't Force Me To Be Social🐾

It may be really disappointing and frustrating when our dogs are not the social beings we expected them to be.

Many believe dogs should just naturally get along with other dogs, after all they’re the same species.

Some believe the “unsociable” dog has a behaviour problem that needs to be “fixed”.

Early, appropriately timed and correct socialisation is vitally important, but sometimes despite all of this, some dogs are just not that sociable.

Sometimes this can be improved, especially if the cause is from a negative experience, but genetics, breed tendencies, individual personalities, health and age all contribute to tolerance and sociability, which also change throughout life.

If we, as a human species, don’t get along with everyone we meet, how can we expect our dogs to?

Do we label every person that has an argument, doesn’t make friends with everyone they meet, doesn’t like every other person, prefers not to socialise - as having a problem that needs to be fixed?

Why is it so easy to accept that every individual person is different than to accept that every individual dog is different?

When we have done what we can to improve our dogs’ social skills, we need to accept and acknowledge our dogs for the individuals they are, allow and respect their choice of whether to be sociable or not and never force interactions that a dog is not comfortable with.

03/10/2024

Well done to Harry & Freya for completing a 6 week Fundamental training course.
Harry brought Freya to Training Fido, as she had had a bad experience with 2 larger dogs whilst out on a walk. Which resulted in Freya not wanting to go out much and become timid.
Over the last 6 weeks, she has been a model pupil, and has been introduced to Archie and Smudge separately and on the fifth lesson together.
On a walk today with Smudge she was quite happy to play with him and was even running up to him.
Freya loves doing eye contact as you can see!! And always keeps an eye on Harry 😁 🐾

22/09/2024

A sad day for us yesterday, we had to say goodbye to our wonderful friend Archie. He was a prince amongst dogs, who helped me so much in my work with reactive dogs. I was so blessed to have him in my life.
So give your best friend an extra hug today, they love us unconditionally.
He will be greatly missed by his hoomans & Smudge.
Archie Peers RIP run free 💔🐾🌈

05/09/2024

What a week and what a dog!! Glenturret Blueberry Blitz aka Smudge has been busy along with his hooman. He has gained level 1 in the Flatcoated Retriever WFCRDP and came 1st in the Christchurch & District Gundog Club assessment day on Sunday.
I am so proud of this boy, he is a dream to train. Although at times a challenge when he is sure he knows the dummy is over there!
❤️🐾

21/07/2024

It was the Inter Area Team Challenge for Flatcoats yesterday 20th July. And Smudge & Myself were in the Wessex team as Novice Dog/Novice Handler. I'm pleased say the team came joint 3rd. Which I was chuffed with.
And to put the cherry on the top of the cake.......
Smudge & I won ND/NH!!! 😁❤️🐾

27/06/2024

A busy week this week Harry has just completed his 6 week training course along with his hoomans.
Who thought after week one that they were never going to train Harry, as he is quite stubborn even if he looks adorable & cute!!
But with perseverance and adapting some exercises we have made it to week 6.
Well done!! 👏

26/06/2024

Well done to Stephanie and Rosie for completing their 6 week training course.
Rosie was 9 months old when Stephanie contacted me for help.
Stephanie had rehomed Rosie who at 9 months old had, had 4 previous owners. Who all said she was untrainable.
And yes she was maniac when she came to the first lesson, jumping up at everyone, she just run around mindlessly.
So we started to just introduce her
sitting calmly on the lead and queuing into her name. Which worked well, then we could start training, slowly but ever week we made some progress.
Next problem for Stephanie was getting in the car, she just refused!! So much so Stephanie
tried for an hour to get Rosie into the car to come to a lesson.
Rosie just wasn't having it, so a rather distraught Stephanie arrived for the lesson minus Rosie.
Stephanie took me to her house and we spent the rest of that lesson working on getting Rosie into the car. I am pleased to report that Rosie jumps into her crate in the back of the car quite happily.
She is now waiting on command, doing leave exercises, eye contact, recall is good. Leading walking is coming along well and Rosie is focusing and listening to Stephanie.
And sits are done with one word command and one response!!
She is still a work in progress, but has come so far from that first lesson. So once again
Well done Stephanie!! I know you never thought you would get this far.
👏😁🐾